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WELCOME ALL
We are now coming up to the BFG’s eighth season.
After the two very disappointing - in fact well-nigh
depressing - autumn seasons of 2002 and 2003, last
autumn proved to be one of the best for foraying and
recording fungi in this country for quite a few years. So
fingers crossed we are in for a repeat showing this
autumn, although things have been moving pretty
slowly through the Summer months. We certainly hope
many of you will be able to attend the forays Derek has
arranged for us over the next few months – they are
spread far and wide over the county in the hope that all
members will have at least one or two conveniently in
their vicinity. Some sites are old friends and some are
welcome newcomers, thus adding variety and depth to
our knowledge of what Bucks has to offer the keen
amateur mycologist.
A particular welcome also to those new members for
whom this will be the first newsletter. As you will
discover, our membership covers a wide range of
fungal expertise and experience, including those who
are recognised as the country’s leaders in certain
genera, also those whose main interest is collecting to
eat, as well as complete novices. However, the Group’s
aim is to cater for all, however great or small their
knowledge; enthusiasm for fungi is the one thing we all
have in common, together with a love of the outdoors
and all things natural. It’s amazing how there always
seems to be someone at forays who can name that
flower, tree, bird, beetle, butterfly etc.
FORAY PROGRAMME
Members will have already received our current foray
programme from Derek in June, so the enclosed is
purely a prompt. I’d like to bring to your attention
several events on the programme which are not just bog
standard forays:-
BFG
Buckinghamshire Fungus Group
Newsletter September 2005 No. 6
Secretary and Recorder Derek Schafer
Newsletter Editor Penny Cullington
• Thurs / Fri / Sat, Sep 29th/ 30
th/Oct 1
st
The Saturday event will be our fourth annual all-day
public display at Aylesbury County Museum, and this
previously has been a most rewarding day and very
popular with the public, especially children. It is hoped
that Thursday’s forays will supply lots of interesting
material both for Friday’s identification afternoon and
Saturday’s display. Do please attend on all or any of the
days: if coming just for the pm foray on Thursday
please phone Derek the day before to confirm a
meeting place and time; feel free to bring any material
from elsewhere for identification on Friday (again
phone Derek if you are coming); any help /
contributions would be most welcome on Saturday,
good material of anything however common, and
especially eye-catchers that people will have noticed on
walks, will be needed to create a good showing. Aim to
arrive around 10.00 on Saturday as it does take quite a
time to sort out, set out and label all the material, and
we open at 11.00.
• Sat Oct 8th is a new untried format which we are
confident will prove a most interesting and informative
day. Having attended Martyn’s excellent BMS
weekend workshop on this topic last April, I can highly
recommend this “Talk and Walk” to anyone with a
serious interest in understanding the fungi of Beech
woodland. Make sure you book a place as this event
will be advertised amongst other mycologists, and
bring a packed lunch. (There is a fee of £2.50 for
members, £5 for non-members, payable on the day).
• Sun Nov 6th is an all-day public Fungi Roadshow -
again a novelty! After last year’s foray at Stowe where
the number of attendees forced us to divide into two
barely manageable groups, Derek has come up with
this format which should prove very enjoyable and
entertaining. We shall need members to take small
groups off to collect as well as some expertise for
setting out the display, so do please come along. NB
start time is 11.00 am, and bring a packed lunch.
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GROUP INSURANCE
For several years we have been insured through the
British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV), the
cost of this being the main use to which your
subscription is put. Thanks particularly to the efforts of
Liz Holden, insurance has become available through
our affiliation to the British Mycological Society at
considerably reduced cost and we have now taken
advantage of this offer (your subscription will
unfortunately not go down, since the cost of printing
and postage will be realistically charged in the future!).
MEMBERS’ ADDRESS LIST
Also enclosed is an up-to-date address list. Please
check you are included and all details are correct, and
let Derek know of any changes, additions (eg email
address) etc. As previously this information is
circulated solely for the purpose of enabling members
to contact one another, and is therefore not to be
handed out further afield without a member’s consent.
RECORDS
We are again not planning to send out last season’s
complete record lists to everyone, but do please ask if
you would like one. However, after a couple of forays
last year I emailed the completed list of fungi recorded
for the day to those who had attended, and this proved
very popular. So we would like to introduce this on a
regular basis. If you are not online and would like to
receive a copy of any particular foray list please prompt
Derek or me at that foray to post you one.
AGM
This year’s AGM was held at Duck End House on
Sunday afternoon, May 15th, and for the first time we
made it into double figures beating previous numbers
by six! Having discussed and decided upon foray dates
and venues from the list of suggestions provided by
Derek, and dashed through the prepared accounts for
the year, we hurriedly moved on to the serious business
of tea and delicious cakes supplied by Jenny,
accompanied by an impressive slide show of fungi
photos taken during the year in the county and supplied
by various participants. A good time was had by all – it
was a very sociable occasion and several members
there for the first time were heard to say they’d be back
next year if only for the excellent catering! Perhaps
even more of you will brave it next time, after all,
Derek lives conveniently in the middle of the county.
Don’t let the label of AGM put you off, in this case the
letters more suitably stand for Another Gathering of
Mycologically-minded friends!
AN INOCYBE ALMOST NEW TO BRITAIN
Last September I was asked by the Tylers Green
Primary School to give an introduction to fungi with a
display in the classroom followed by a foray for two
large classes of eight-year-olds (thankfully not both
classes at once!). Common Wood, much mentioned in
the last newsletter, is owned by the Tylers Green
Residents’ Association, and I had taken a class to foray
here the previous year with much success, so I was a
little surprised and taken aback when the school
declared it was too far to walk to Common Wood and
we’d be visiting the much nearer King’s Wood instead.
Despite my protestations that Common Wood was a
proven site for interesting fungi and that I’d no idea
whether we were likely to find anything in King’s
Wood as I’d never been there, had no idea of the tree
diversity or of the suitability for hoards of children with
regard to paths, nettles, brambles etc I could not
dissuade them.
So to King’s Wood we went with the first class, and
pretty uninspiring it was. (This is leading somewhere,
by the way!) Stony paths with brambles either side
prevented much exploration, rather a limited range of
deciduous trees plus much evidence of dog-walking as
it was overlooked by houses, and very few fungi to be
found despite the fact that it was bang in the middle of
a very good season. My classroom display had included
lots of showy Amanitas and milky Lactarius, but the
lack of birches prevented any examples of Fly Agaric
– always a favourite with children – in fact we found
no Amanitas, very few Lactarius, only two Russulas,
and the final list reached just 67 species. BUT for some
inexplicable reason it was amazing for Inocybes – they
popped up in numbers along path edges under the
beech and oak, and although many were collected with
broken stems and were the worse for wear despite my
attempts to instil the basics of good collecting
techniques – children will be children - I later checked
through and added ten different Inocybe species to our
list, including lovely specimens of I. jurana and I.
splendens var phaeoleuca, neither of which are
common.
At one point a lad thrust a rather broken specimen
under my nose with the usual “What’s this one, is it
really DEADLY poisonous or can I take it home for my
mum to cook for tea?!” One whiff of it told me
instantly it came from the group of Inocybes smelling
of pears (although Derek always insists that, for some
of them at least, the smell is nearer to loo cleaner!), but
the cap was like no Inocybe I’d ever seen and certainly
didn’t match with any I knew from this group. I
puzzled for ages at home over it, going through various
keys, and eventually gave up because microscopically
it matched well with I. fraudans (= pyriodora as
generally understood) but had a creamy cap with rough
dark brown scales instead of a smooth mid-brown one.
The next week I took the second class out to the same
wood and this same species turned up again. This time I
was determined to sort it out, as it was obviously not
3
just a one-off, the smell of pear was staggeringly strong
– there had to be an answer. The only key I had to
which I’d not yet referred was Anne Andrew’s
translation of Bon – a very long-winded affair and full
of non-British species to cloud the issue, but it
produced the answer: it keyed out perfectly to Inocybe
erinaceomorpha. (There’s a nice picture of it in
Cortecuisse and Duhem, no 1027, compare with
pyriodora no 1028 and corydalina no 1026.) Looking
it up on the BMS database I discovered that there was
one previous British record back in 1957 – Derek then
probed further for me and discovered the source of the
record was the much revered Dr RWG Dennis, who
sadly died last year. The record was originally recorded
under the name Inocybe pyriodora var. scabra. This
taxon's name has an interesting history going back to
1828 when it was first named Agaricus erinaceus by
Persoon. In 1938 Lange called it Inocybe scabra (a nice
neat name meaning rough with projecting points – very
apt). In 1953 Kuhner deemed it I. pyriodora var.
scabra. In 1979 Stangl & Veselsky reverted to
Persoon’s idea, calling it I. erinaceomorpha, but in
1985 Kuyper considered it was linked to I. corydalina
and renamed it I. corydalina var. erinaceomorpha. The
Kew voucher details had actually been changed to the
latter when Kuyper later examined this collection.
I obviously needed expert confirmation of my
determination and this was supplied by Alan Outen, my
Inocybe mentor. He also supported my opinion that this
distinctive species has enough separate characters to
stand on its own and, following Bon and Courtecuisse,
should not be regarded as a variety of I. corydalina
(which has a smooth mid-brown cap with green tinges).
It appears to me to be one of the very few Inocybes one
can safely identify in the field, so given that it has not
been recorded here since 1957, is it really rare or is
there another reason? This could be due to the fact that
the key in Kuyper's book does not include the variety
(although it is described in the text). [Whatever the
reason, this is a species well worth looking for now that
Penny has found it again after almost 50 years! - DJS]
LATIN NAMES AND THEIR MEANING
When I asked for ideas for newsletter articles at the
AGM it was suggested that this might be a popular and
useful topic with members. So as it is an enormous
subject I thought it might be a good idea to make a start
here, with further instalments to follow in future if
feedback is favourable. Having myself found the
memorising of fungi names so much easier if one has a
meaning or connection to hang them on, and knowing
of so many beginners who are seriously daunted by this
aspect of studying mycology, I hope this will help a
little. I am in no way a Classicist, although my father
was and I now much regret having ignored the subject
as a child. Thanks are due to Michael Miner, whose
book Basic Fungi for Beginners supplied much of the
information.
COMMON SUFFIXES WITH EXAMPLES
• -aceus, -(o)ides, -opsis, -otus = resembling
(micaceus, satanoides, tricholomopsis, melanotus)
• -alis, -aris = pertaining to (horizontalis, nebularis)
• -ascens / escens, -icans = becoming
(aeruginascens, rubescens, nigricans)
• -aticus, -estris = place (silvaticus, campestris)
• -bilis = ability, capacity (mutabilis)
• -cola = inhabiting (silvicola)
• -ceps, cybe, -pilea = head or cap
(cordiceps, calocybe, conopilea)
• -folia, -phyllus = gills (densifolia, xanthophyllus)
• -formis = the shape of (tubiformis)
• -gena, -genus = arising from
(terrigena , fructigenus)
• -myces = fungus (dacrymyces)
• -olens = smelling of (brassicolens)
• -oma = margin, fringe (dichotoma)
• -osus, -ulentus = abundant
(squamosus, pulverulentus)
• -otis = ear (disciotis)
• -pes, -pus = foot (longipes, erythropus)
• -phila = lover of (hydrophila)
• -trichum, -thrix = hair (cephalotrichum,
xanthothrix)
COLOURS
SHADES OF RED
armeniacus = apricot; aurantia (ca) = orange; coccinea,
cramescinus = bright red; cruenta, haemacta, punicea,
sanguinea, sanguinolente = blood red; cuprea =
coppery; erubescens = reddening; erythropus = red
foot; ferrugineus, rubiginosa = rusty; haematopus =
bloody foot; hysginus = scarlet; incarnata = flesh-
coloured; lateritius, testaceus = brick red; rosea, rosella
= rose coloured; rubella = reddish; ruber; rubescens =
becoming red; rufus, rufescens, rutilans = becoming
brownish red; vinosa = red wine coloured
SHADES OF PURPLE atropurpurea = purple with black; ianthus, ionides =
violet; ionochlora = violet with greenish yellow;
phoenicus = purple-red; porphyria; purpurascens =
becoming purple; purpurea
SHADES OF BLUE
azurea, caeruleus = sky blue; caesiocyaneus = pearl
grey with dark blue; caesius; cyanascens = becoming
dark blue; cyanoxantha = dark blue and yellow;
glaucopus = blue foot; lazulina = ultramarine; venetus
= sea blue
SHADES OF GREEN
aereus = green as in copper rust; aeruginea; chlorantha
= green flower; chloroides; chlorophana = pale green;
smaragdina = emerald green; prassinus, porraceus =
leek green; virescens = becoming green ; viride
4
SHADES OF GREY argyraceum = silvery; cinerea = ashen; fumosus =
smoky grey; grisea = pearl grey; lividus, plumbea =
lead coloured; murinus – mouse grey;
SHADES OF YELLOW aurata, aurea(us), aureola = golden; auricomus,
chrysocomus = golden haired; aurivella = golden
fleece; birrum; chrysenteron = gold intestine (within);
chrysophaeus = dusky gold; chrysorrheus = gold and
flowing; cinnabarina, cinnamomeus = cinnamon
coloured; citrinus, limonius = lemon yellow; claroflava,
junquilla = bright yellow; crocata, crocea = saffron;
croceofolius = saffron-gilled; crocipodium = yellow-
footed; flava; flavescens = becoming yellow; flavidus =
yellowish; flavovirens = yellowish-green; gilva;
gilvescens = becoming pale yellow; helvola = pale
yellow; icterine = jaundiced; isabellinus = dirty yellow;
lutea = golden yellow; luteotacta = yellow when
touched; luteovirens = yellowish green; ochroleuca =
yellowish white; straminea = straw coloured;
vitellina = yolk yellow; xanthocephalus = yellow head;
xanthoderma = yellow skin; xanthothrix = yellow hair SHADES OF BROWN argillacea = clay coloured; avellanea = hazel; badius =
bay brown; brunneoincarnata = brown flesh coloured;
castaneus = chestnut; cervicolor = deer coloured;
ferrugineus = rusty; fulva = tawny; helvus = light bay;
hepaticus = liver brown; hinnuleus = like a young stag
or fawn; mellea = honey coloured; spadiceus = date
brown; umbrina = umber brown; vaccinus = cow
coloured; xerampelina = colour of withered vine leaves
(dull reddish brown)
SHADES OF WHITE alba(um); albidus; albobrunneum = white and brown;
albonigra = white and black; alboviolaceus = white and
violet; candicans, candida = shining white; eburneus =
ivory; ermineus = yellowish white; galochroa, lactea =
milk white; galopus = milk foot; leucogala = white
milk; leucophylla = white gilled; leucosarx = white
fleshed; leucothites; niveus = snow white
SHADES OF BLACK ater; atra; atramentarius = black ink; atrocinereum =
ashy black; melaleuca = black and white;
melanophyllum = black gilled; melanosporus = black
spored; melanotus; nigellum = blackish; niger;
nigrescens, nigricans = becoming black; picinus = pitch
black
MISCELLANEOUS bicolor, dichrous = two toned; ochracea = pale;
polychroma = many coloured; versicolor = changeable
in colour
When preparing this list I was quite staggered to find
how many words involving colour there are. I did in
fact leave a few really obscure ones out, but please let
me know of any others you think should be included.
By the way, two days after I completed this article the
July edition of Field Mycology dropped onto the
doormat, and as usual I needed no excuse to stop
washing up and discover what new delights it
contained. Amongst the many interesting articles I
found one by Anne Andrews at which I blinked in
surprise before laughing out loud. Entitled “Hinnuleus
and Smaragdina – colourful hidden treasures” it
covered precisely the same topic as mine, albeit in
amusing prose rather than my rather dry list. I had a
good laugh with her over the coincidence, and promptly
added a few of her discoveries to my article – with her
permission, of course! – including both hinnuleus and
smaragdina, neither of which I had any idea referred to
colour! So apologies to those who take Field Mycology
for repeating much of the same ground here, but to
those who are not familiar with this excellent magazine
my advice to you is “Order it today!” – it’s a must for
anyone with an interest in amateur mycologist. Either
Derek or I can tell you how to get hold of it.
THE NEW 2005 CHECKLIST
The Checklist of the British and Irish Basidiomycota, to
give it its full title, has now been published. Authored
by Nick Legon and Alick Henrici with Peter Roberts,
Brian Spooner and Roy Watling, this magnificent
compilation lists not only all of the currently
recognised agarics and boleti, updating for the first time
the 1960 checklist, but also covers the remaining
basidiomycetes, including bracket fungi, corticioids,
gasteroid fungi (puffballs, stinkhorns etc.), club and
coral fungi, jelly fungi and the rusts and smuts -
covering a total of more than 3500 taxa. The list is
based on a database at Kew which is intended to be
freely accessible via the internet and which will be
continually updated. Details are given of nomenclature
(with reference to more than 16,500 names which have
appeared in British literature), habitat and associations,
distribution and frequency, references to descriptions
and illustrations, conservation and other information.
The authors are to be congratulated for what has clearly
involved an enormous amount of work. The checklist
will be an essential first reference in so much of what
we do. Equally important, since current views change
all the time, is the commitment to note changes and
new information and provide a continually updated
picture.
REPORT OF THE 2004 SEASON By Derek Schafer
After two poor seasons in 2002 and 2003, caused by
very dry conditions, probably in combination with a bit
of cold weather at the wrong time, 2004 was splendid
for fungi. Throughout the year, and especially during
the autumn, the fungi fruited prolifically - lots of well
known species along with a great variety of new or rare
5
things were found. What this means for the well being
or otherwise of the fungal organisms is less clear.
Perhaps the fungi are sensing that their habitats are
under stress and are putting their energies into sending
out spores to establish themselves in a new home. Little
do they realise that the new habitats aren't there. The
same message might be delivered to those who think
that conservation may be best served by stopping
people picking fungi, and only succeed in diverting
attention from the real danger of habitat loss.
The lists of what was found in 2004 are also longer as
members of the Group, notably Penny, become
increasingly expert at identifying the more difficult
genera. Penny is now among the best of the Country's
identifiers of genera such as Russula, Inocybe and
Psathyrella and continues to expand her reach! The
notes below are just a few examples of the many and
varied fungi that were found during 2004.
Dancersend 30 May 2004
Mick Jones, the Warden of Dancersend, joined us for
our first foray of the season. The usual microscopic
spring specialities on substrates like dead stems of
nettles were in evidence, including Acrospermum
compressum (fig.1) with a fruit body shaped like an
elongated bishop's hat. This has spores that are four
hundred times longer than they are wide, which must
be some sort of record. Anthracobia maurilabra was
found on a burnt site (B&K 1 species 95) and Ted
Brown collected Panus torulosus, (Phillips p.187)
identified at Kew by Nick Legon. We were surprised to
see a Hygrocybe species so early in the season in the
form of Hygrocybe persistens var. Konradii forma
subglobispora (= Hygrocybe subglobispora of P.D.
Orton, Phillips p.65). Rather attractive material of
Pluteus salicinus (Phillips p.119) was found on an old
deciduous log.
Fig. 1 Acrospermum compressum on dead stem
of a nettle (the fruit body is about 1-2 millimetres
high) © Derek Schafer 2004
Weston Turville Reservoir 27 June 2004
Searching among the herbaceous stems around the lake
edge produced a few of the expected microfungi, such
as Calyptella capula (fig. 2), Lachnum virgineum (fig.
3; known as Dasyscyphus virgineus in Ellis & Ellis)
and Resinomycena saccharifera (C&D species 614).
Other finds included Phellinus pomaceus on dead
branches of Blackthorn, Laetiporus sulphureus
(Phillips p. 223) and Conocybe lactea (Phillips p. 155).
Summer forays are a bit of a lottery and this year none
of the Coprinus species of the previous year were
found.
Fig. 2 Calyptella capula on dead herbaceous stem.
© Derek Schafer 2004.
Fig. 3 Lachnum virgineum on dead stem of nettle.
The stalked cups are approximately 1-2
millimetres across. © Derek Schafer 2004.
County Museum, Aylesbury 25 September 2004 -
"Mushroom Magic - Mysteries of the Fifth
Kingdom"
The display organised by Mike Palmer at the Museum
included freshly collected fungi, photographs provided
by Nick Jarvis, books, posters etc. The exhibition was
well attended throughout the day and the help provided
by all of the BFG members who attended, contributed
to the displays and answered questions from members
6
of the public is much appreciated. A number of new
members joined following their visit.
College Wood 3 October 2004
Finds included Volvariella caesiotincta (C&D species
895 but paler than illustrated), Stropharia caerulea
(C&D species 1268), Psathyrella prona forma prona
(C&D species 787), Psathyrella pseudogracilis,
Pluteus nanus (C&D species 881) and romellii (Phillips
p.120 as lutescens) and six Coprinuses including C.
picaceus (fig. 4), hiascens and cortinatus (C&D species
771).
Fig. 4 Coprinus picaceus (the Magpie Inkcap)
photo taken at Bradenham by new member
Toni Standing © 2004
Bradenham Estate and Naphill Common 17
October 2004
The Bradenham Estate, extending across to Naphill
Common in the east, is one of Buckinghamshire's
richest sites for fungi (as it is for plants). Our foray
identified a number of rarities among a list of just under
100 species. Cortinarius anomalus (= lepidopus)
identified by Geoffrey Kibby, bolaris, delibutus, elatior
(now lividoochraceus) and sanguineus are not rare but
point to a rich mycorrhizal mycota. Hygrophorus
penarius (C&D species 234) is new to the County and
rare in Britain. Among four Inocybe species, Inocybe
brevispora (soluta in the 2005 checklist) is rarely
recorded but apparently widespread in Britain. The
distinctive dark, scaly bolete Strobilomyces
strobilaceus (=floccopus, Phillips p.206) is a regular
find at this site. Stropharia squamosa (Bon p.251;
C&D species 1279) had not been recorded for some
years from Buckinghamshire. Other fungi found during
the year included a record (by John Tyler) of Phallus
impudicus var. togatus, a fungus featured in the
October 2004 issue of Field Mycology.
Rushbeds Wood 20 October 2004 am
We thought it would be worth including a mid-week
event in the programme and the two forays held at the
BBOWT reserves at Rushbeds and Whitecross Green
on the 20th were quite well attended. I appreciate that
some members are only able to get to weekend forays
but do let us know which you prefer.
At Rushbeds, Lactarius controversus (Phillips p. 77) is
one of the less common members of the genus and
associates with Salix and Populus. Pholiota limonella is
a recent split (in the monograph by Holec) from the
commonly recorded Pholiota aurivella (Bon p. 257 as
cerifera). Entoloma hebes(C&D species 921), Hydnum
repandum (fig. 5) and Pholiota squarrosa (Phillips p.
145) were among a total of 54 species found.
Fig. 5 Hydnum repandum (specimen photographed
in Scotland) © Derek Schafer 2005
Whitecross Green Wood 20 October 2004 pm
Radulomyces molaris was found on a fragment of
fallen oak branch blown down by the wind. According
to Alick Henrici who identified it, this typically grows
on dead attached branches high in the tree and,
although fairly common, tends to be recorded only after
storms blow down the branches. Other finds included
Coprinus radiatus (on rotting straw), Clavulinopsis
helvola (Phillips p. 259), Lepiota castanea (Phillips p.
29) and Macrotyphula juncea (Phillips p. 257 as
Clavariadelphus junceus) in a list of 66.
7
Hodgemoor Woods 31 October 2004 am
Hodgemoor is revealing itself to be one of Forest
Enterprise's richest fungal sites, thanks particularly to
Penny's frequent visits through the year. The BFG
foray produced a list of over 100 species during the
morning. Finds included Collybia fuscopurpurea
(Phillips p. 56 as Collybia obscura although the identity
of these two taxons is not universally accepted), the
distinctive (for a Psathyrella) Psathyrella cotonea (fig.
6), Craterellus cornucopioides (Phillips p. 190), five
Cortinarius including Cortinarius anthracinus (C&D
species 1125) and eight Russulas including Russula
faginea (Phillips p. 105 upper right image, as Russula
xerampelina). Many other interesting finds turned up
on other visits by Penny, including the rare Rhodocybe
gemina that was featured in the April 2005 issue of
Field Mycology
Fig. 6 Psathyrella cotonea among beech leaf
litter © Derek Schafer 2004
Burnham Beeches 31 October 2004 pm
Foraying at two of the richest sites in the County on the
same day was perhaps not the most sensible plan and
the fungi would have justified a whole day at each. The
afternoon produced a list of more than 100 species.
Eight Russulas included Russula amoenolens and
risigallina (C&D species 1493). The tiny Mycena
smithiana was found on an oak leaf and we also found
the rarely recorded Mycena diosma (C&D species 602).
Phellodon confluens is a toothed fungus included in
various Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPs) and one of
several regularly found at Burnham Beeches. Other
finds included Stropharia squamosa (see comments on
Bradenham above) and Fistulina hepatica (Phillips p.
224). Recent studies at the Beeches by Martyn
Ainsworth have identified the presence of many rarely
recorded species that are associated with, and useful as
indicators of ancient and important beech wood-
decaying fungal habitats. Our programme this year
includes a day with Martyn at Burnham Beeches
learning more about these fungi and their habitats.
Stowe Landscaped Gardens 7 November 2004
This was a public foray with the National Trust and a
rather overwhelming number of attendees turned up.
We managed to divide the party into a more
manageable two groups and a display of finds was held
at the end of the morning. Species found included
Lepiota cortinarius, Agaricus augustus (Phillips p. 164)
and Amanita echinocephala (fig. 7). However, the most
dramatic find was an area of grassland where we found
no fewer than ten species of waxcap (Hygrocybe) - this
would place the site somewhere between of regional
and national importance as waxcap grassland, and
certainly worth further study and conservation.
Hygrocybe calyptiformis (the Pink Waxcap and a BAP
species, Phillips p. 62), Hygrocybe citrinovirens and
some particularly splendid specimens of Hygrocybe
punicea (Phillips p. 62) are worth particular mention.
Fig. 7 Amanita echinocephala (specimen collected
in September at Pulpit Hill) © Penny Cullington 2004
Penn Wood 14 November 2004
Our regular forays here include, besides the Wood
itself, the exceptional grassland area (in part used as a
cricket pitch) between the road and the wood, along
with the churchyard and vicarage lawn. The cricket
pitch produced a fine array of grassland species,
including eight Hygrocybes, four species of
Clavulinopsis, Handkea excipuliformis (Phillips p. 246
as Calvatia). Other finds included Clitocybe houghtonii
(with pinkish cream gills and a smell of crushed tomato
leaves, Phillips p. 50 and Field Mycology Jan 2005 rear
cover), Hygrophorus lucorum (C&D species 272),
Spathularia flavida (fig. 9) and Pholiota lenta (fig. 8)
in the wood and Pholiota highlandensis (Phillips p. 146
as carbonaria) on a burnt patch on the vicarage lawn.
Other interesting species turned up at Penn at differnt
times of the year, including the rarely recorded
Psathyrella spintrigeroides amongst Rhododendron
litter.
8
Fig. 8 Pholiota lenta specimen collected in
Common Wood in October © Penny Cullington 2004
Fig. 9 Spathularia flavida specimen collected in
Penn Wood in July © Penny Cullington 2004
Common Wood 14 November 2004
Finds included (more or less appropriately for the time
of year) Clitocybe decembris,. Hericium (= Crelophus)
cirrhatus (Phillips p. 246) is an important indicator of
beechwood fungal habitat, Flammulaster carpophilus
on beech masts, and Helminthosphaeria clavariarum
on Clavulina cinerea.
USING GILL ATTACHMENT AS AN
IDENTIFICATION AID
So you’ve collected this gilled mushroom you don’t
recognise and haven’t a clue what it is, and as usual it’s
on a day when you’re not going to see any mycologists
for ages! So you’re either going to have to write a good
description and send it to someone perhaps with a
photo, or work it out for yourself. So where to start?
FREE ADNEXED ADNATE
The first step is to determine the genus and, although
sometimes not at all straightforward, there are lots of
field clues to help, eg size, shape, colour, stipe with a
ring or a volva or not, distinctive smell, etc, and gill
attachment. Often it’s a problem knowing which clues
are important pointers for which genus, but being able
to differentiate between the four basic gill attachments
is a big step in the right direction and also vital
information for any good description.
Does that feeling of “Oh help, I’m out of my depth
again with all these complicated words!” overwhelm
you when you hear people banging on about Decurrent
or Adnate, let alone Adnexed or Sinuate? Well, grit
your teeth and hang on in there because here is an
attempt to explain it, and also to show why it is useful
to know.
♦ The term “gill attachment” refers to how the inside
edge of the gill inserts (or not) into the stipe.
The most obvious attachment is FREE. Look at the
underside of a large open cultivated mushroom and
note how the dark gills never reach the stipe but finish
well short leaving a clear gap, ie free of the stipe. It
shows up really well in Agaricus because of the
contrasting colour of the gills versus the flesh and stipe.
Not many genera have Free gills:- Amanita, Lepiota
(including Macrolepiota) and immature Pluteus with
white gills; mature Pluteus and immature Agaricus with
pink gills; mature Agaricus and some Coprinus with
purple-black gills. So once you’ve noticed your
mushroom has this attachment you are well on your
way to identifying it to genus, and can safely eliminate
a vast number of genera straight away.
Also easy to recognise is DECURRENT where the
inside edge of the gill extends to a greater or lesser
degree in a curve down the stipe. Look at a cultivated
Oyster mushroom, i.e. Pleurotus, to see this clearly.
Genera with this attachment:- most Armillarias and
Clitocybes, Clitopilus, Lyophyllum, Pleurotus, some
Lactarius and a few Mycenas with white, cream or
yellow gills; Rhodotus and some Armillarias with pink
gills; Hygrophoropsis with orange gills; Paxillus with
rusty brown gills; Tubaria furfuracea with pinky brown
gills; a few Hygrocybes - various colours – also have
this type.
♦ Tip:- “De current of water runs down de river, and
decurrent gills run down the stipe!”
SINUATE DECURRENT
9
The remaining types of attachment tend to cause the
most confusion. Firstly ADNATE. The word Adnate
means joined, and in mycology is used to describe both
a type of gill attachment and a type of cuticle (cap skin)
attachment. (We will not deal with the latter here.) An
Adnate gill attachment is one where the inner edge
neither stops short of the stipe (as in Free) nor runs
down it (as in Decurrent) but continues straight until it
meets the stipe more or less at right-angles. This is a
common form of attachment, and is found in Russula
and Marasmius with white, cream or yellow gills;
Collybia and Agrocybe with variously coloured gills;
Galerina and Conocybe with rusty gills; Psathyrella and
some Coprinus with grey to purple-black gills.
(You may also meet the term ADNEXED in some
literature, meaning similar to Adnate but sloping
upwards a bit just before joining the stipe, ie
somewhere between Free and Adnate. It is not
normally necessary to distinguish between Adnate and
Adnexed, and most people consider the term Adnate
sufficient to separate this sort of attachment from Free.)
Lastly SINUATE. The word Sinuate - like sinuous -
comes from the Latin sinus - to bend, and this bend or
“notch” in the gill occurs just before insertion into the
stipe. Firstly it bends up as if going to be Free or
Adnexed, but then appears to change its mind and turns
sharply downward at the last moment as if in a last
ditch attempt to be Decurrent. Genera with this
attachment:- Tricholoma with white gills; Cortinarius,
Hebeloma and Inocybe with beige to rusty brown gills;
(mature) Hypholoma and Stropharia with purple-black
gills.
♦ An easy way to see the gill attachment is to slice
your mushroom in half through the cap and stipe
and open it like a book.
Of course, there are far too many genera to cover in an
article such as this, especially when some may have a
variety of attachment types and gill colours, but my
intention was to select the commoner ones where the
attachment is clear, and to encourage those of us new to
this concept to start looking at gill attachment with
more confidence in order to improve their identification
and description skills.
[Recognising these different types of gill attachment is
very important in distinguishing different genera of
toadstools. But do bear in mind that fungi don't always
behave as we would try to make them. Variations and
intermediate shapes occur, sometimes on the same
fruitbody! The terms have also been used to mean
different things to different people - sinuate for
example is used by some to refer to a shape rather close
to adnate, with emarginate (with or without decurrent
tooth) used to describe what others call sinuate. - DJS]
For further discussion, information and diagrams try
www.ilmyco.gen.chicago.il.us/Terms/attac501.html
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTIONS RELATING TO
GILLS
Whilst writing the above I found myself wondering if a
short glossary on gill shape might be a useful appendix.
I have often found all the different terminology used in
the literature somewhat confusing, so have boldly made
the assumption that others might have also; apologies
if this is not the case.
(* = microscopic term)
anastomosing – having cross connections between gills
arcuate – with a concave edge, like a new moon
basidium(a) - a club-shaped cell producing spores*
cheilocystidia – a cystidia found on the gill edge as
opposed to the flat surface*
ciliate – edge eyelash-like, fringed with hairs
collar(ium) – a ring around the stipe apex (top) to
which
the gills attach, forming a cogwheel
concolorous – having the same colour as the cap
crenate – edge scalloped, with rounded teeth
crenulate – minutely crenate
crowded – lying very close together, opposite of distant
cystidia – a sterile cell, variable in shape, found on the
edge or flat side of a gill*
deliquescent – becoming liquid after maturing
dentate – edge having toothlike pointed projections
denticulate – finely dentate
distant – lying relatively far apart, opposite to crowded
emarginate – notched near the stipe, ie very sinuate
entire – edge straight, smooth and even
eroded – edge irregular, uneven
face – the flat surface of a gill as opposed to the edge
fertile – edge with basidia only, no cystidia *
fimbriate – edge fringed, with regular hair-like
projections
folds – gills rounded, as ridges, not sharp-edged
furcate – forked (when viewed from above)
heterogeneous – edge both with basidia and cystidia*
infertile – as sterile*
interveinose – with veins between gills, not necessarily
fully anastomosing (see above)
lamella(ae) – gill(s) which extend(s) from cap margin
to stipe
lamellule – a short incomplete gill, not reaching the
stipe (often found alternately between gills)
margin – the thin edge of a gill
mucilaginous – (edge) sticky, with a slimy coating
notched – attachment as in sinuate
pleurocystidia – a cystidia found on the flat side of a
gill as opposed to the edge*
pruinose – floury, covered with a fine powder or bloom
rudimentary – underdeveloped, poorly differentiated
seceding – attachment to stipe pulling away in maturity
segmentiform – edge straight (linear) but upper edge
(attached to flesh) concave
serrate – edge jagged, toothed like a saw
serrulate – minutely serrate
sterile – edge with cystidia only, no basidia*
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transvenose – flat surface with vein-like ridges
ventricose – with a convex edge, swollen, wider in the
middle than at either end near cap or stipe.
Enough about gills! Now for something completely
different ……
DESCRIBING THE BOLETACEAE GROUP By Alan Hills
Throughout the year I receive many Boletaceae fungi
sent to my home, at other times it may be a telephone
call with whoever, endeavouring to describe their find
to me. The very worst(!) are the people describing the
find they collected last week that was put on the
compost heap some days ago. With this in mind I have
put together this article, hoping to make everybody’s
life (mostly mine) a little easier. So now read on to find
what is required from a description; even 50% of this
information would help.
Firstly give the date found, then the location adding the
OS grid reference. Now state the host tree or plant1, the
habitat (was it woodland / parkland / ditch / woodland
edge?), and finally the substrate (was it on soil / wood /
leaf litter / moss / in an acid or alkaline area?).
Now for the fungus itself, describe as much of the
following as possible.
STAGE OF MATURITY:- This is vital information,
so start here, using a scale of 1 to 5, eg 1 (button stage)
to 5 (mature stage). NB 5+ is the dustbin stage and I
don’t want to know about it!
CAP / PILEIPELLIS
• Size:- diameter in cms.
• Shape:- campanulate / convex or part so / flat /
undulating at the edge.
• Texture:- smooth / cracking / tomentose / tacky /
firm or remaining indented when pressed / having
an overhanging cuticle.
• Colour:- include fine detail of hues or
combinations of hues often present in many of the
larger boletes / any change when handled / any
change where eaten by mice, slugs or insects / any
sheen2 present.
PORES
• Shape and size:- round / irregular / large or small
• Colour:- overall / around the orifice (hand lens) /
colour change when bruised / different colour
looking into the tubes3
TUBES
• Colour change when cut
• Decurrent or not
• Length in cms (cut out a segment of cap for this).
• Detachability:- whether possible to pull out a
single or small amount of tubes completely with
tweezers.
STEM / STIPE
• Dimentions:- length and width in cms
• Shape:- tapering upward or downward / cylindrical
/ clavate / subclavate / rooting / curved / scurvy4.
• Markings:- network or mesh present / ribbed /
minute spotting / scabers (squamules) present;
(note to what extent these characters reaches down
the stem)
• Colour:- of (back)ground / of any network,
ribbing, etc if contrasting / any change when
handled / any change where eaten by mice, slugs
or insects.
CONTEXT / FLESH
• Note the colour immediately on cutting and again
after five minutes; in many the colour will differ in
the cap area to the stipe, and again the stipe may
differ throughout its length or width5.
• Firm flesh or soft
• Colour change with pressure (this could take up to
30 minutes in Leccinum species)
• Note any black at the very base
• Note any smell from the base
• Maggot activity:- This is important - see6
MYCELIUM COLOUR This is very important in the
Xerocomoid Boletus group, where it will range between
white / off white / pale cream / cream / pale yellow /
yellow / mustard. (Collect with care not to miss it.)
Most of the Boletaceae fungi can be named from a
good description with the exception of the Leccinum
species which require the dried material to be examined
fully. Therefore if you are sending me the material
(preferably dried) answers to the above questions
should be sufficient to enable a conclusion to be
reached.
Yes, it is a lot and takes one much time to do, but it
can be worth it if the fungus you have is important.
Remember, we have rarities out there such as Boletus
fragrans, Boletus regius and Boletus torosus, not to
mention an as yet undescribed species of Xerocomoid
Boletus which we know from only two sites, one in the
UK and one in Italy, which must I feel have more as yet
undiscovered sites.
1 The host is important and is deceptably not always the
closest tree. A few days before writing this article I
encountered Tapinella atrotomentosa (previously
Paxillus atrotomentosus) appearing to fruit from Fagus,
it being close to the cleft of the buttress, but Pinus
sylvestris roots could just be seen above the surface
going down below the Fagus making me sure of this
host. Other hosts easily overlooked are the two
miniscule Salix species, S. herbacea (Dwarf Willow)
and S. repens (Creeping Willow); I remember finding
Boletus ripariellus fruiting on a flood plain far away
from trees, but Salix repens was present, and both these
willows will also host many Amanitas and other genera.
Another unlikely host plant to look out for is
Helianthemum (Rock Rose) which we now know will
interact with many Boletus species as well as other
genera. Therefore if in doubt mention all possible hosts
in the vicinity.
11
2 A sheen is present in Leccinum pseudoscrabrum
which when young will show glistening on the crown
of the cap; I have also found Leccinum palustre with a
sheen that was hard to describe, but it was this feature
that caught my attention. (palustre = inhabiting
marshland ed.)
3 In some of the Xerocomoid Boletus it is possible to
see the spores by looking up the pores with a x10 lens,
and these are noticeably browner than the pore colour.
4 Scurvy is a word I’ve acquired from Ted Green, and
to my knowledge is absent from any glossary, but
please inform me if you know otherwise. When a stem
is becoming dry it will at times break away in places
and curl upwards or downwards. This is a good
character, Boletus subtomentosus always curls upwards,
others will curl downwards, some will never do this at
all.
5 Context colours are important, and the blues in
particular should be fully described, e.g. blue black /
deep blue / full blue / sky blue. The sky blue of Boletus
satanas never covers the whole area of flesh. Boletus
impolitus is often one that catches people out, but will
always show somewhat yellow in the flesh, with the
outer edges a very good deeper yellow.
6 Maggots, or rather the colour change caused around
their tunnels, are good at helping with identification
and should always be noted; this will range from black
/ not so black / reddish / yellow concolorous with the
flesh, the latter being a give-away for Boletus
moravicus, and an easy way to identify it in the field.
FUNGUS FEASTING!
For many members the main interest in foraying – at
least to start with - is to learn to recognise the edible
species (and the poisonous ones) and to collect for
cooking and eating. I for one certainly started out with
this priority in mind, although I soon got bitten with the
amazing diversity of the fungal world and pushed my
culinary interests into the background. However, given
the opportunity and space in the basket I really enjoy
collecting to eat and always have a good supply of
dried edibles to dive into at home.
It seems wrong, therefore, that we should overlook this
topic in the newsletter, so I propose that we should start
a section devoted to edible fungi including tips on
collecting, drying, cooking, favourite recipes etc
supplied NOT just by me but by all of us! That means
YOU! It would be the ideal place to swap ideas and
pass on experiences. So I’ll start the ball rolling with a
few bits and bobs, and I look forward to receiving any
ideas you may like to volunteer as the season
progresses. Do email me even if it’s only to disagree
with me, it’d be nice to get some feedback.
DRYING FUNGI TO EAT
I use this method a lot, and find the airing cupboard
every bit as good as a proper dryer although it does take
longer. Cooking with dried fungi does change the
appearance and texture when compared to fresh, but the
flavour is often concentrated and therefore improved.
So far I’ve dried Ceps, Bay Boletes, Chanterelles, Horn
of Plenty, Yellow Legs, Hedgehog Fungus, Fairy Ring
Champignons, Cauliflower Fungus and Jelly Ear, and
they seem to last indefinitely – certainly several years –
without deteriorating. Has anyone tried drying Field
Mushrooms, Parasols, Field Blewits or Lactarius
deliciosus?
1. If really sure of your identification remove stipe
base, dirt, slugs, bugs, or damaged areas in the
field.
2. Slice up larger caps and stipes into evenly sized
pieces (about 5mm thick), I like to remove pores of
boletes and hedgehog spines as well. Discard any
parts with maggot holes! Leave Jelly Ear and Fairy
Ring Ch’non whole; tear Chanterelles, Horn of
Plenty and larger Yellow Legs lengthwise to
remove the last few bits of lurking debris;
Cauliflower Fungus is often dirty so break it up and
blow with a hair-dryer.
3. Spread out the fungi on a fine meshed cake rack or
similar (to facilitate good air circulation) avoiding
any bits touching each other, and place in the
warmest bit of your airing cupboard.
4. Check after 24 hours, turn over any bits not dry,
and preferably leave for a few more days – you
can’t over-dry them but storing before they’re
ready makes them go mouldy.
5. Remove and leave to cool before storing in tightly
sealing glass jars or plastic containers. (Some
people recommend giving them a spell in the
freezer at this stage.)
RECONSTITUTING
• Soak for between 30 minutes to an hour before use.
• Use the minimum amount of hot water (not boiling)
to cover, pressing the fungi under well. Use the
water afterwards as well, to avoid wasting any
flavour.
• If using wine in the recipe, use this heated up in
place of the water, again for added flavour.
• Add to slow cooking recipes with no alteration to
cooking time; if using in quicker cooking recipes
they will need slightly longer than fresh fungi.
Tip Grind up Boletes or Jelly Ear, once dried, in a
food processor and store as powder, then add to any
dish using fungi to really bring out the flavour.
CAUTIONARY THOUGHTS ON EATING FUNGI Derek Schafer
There are some extremely poisonous species of fungi
and there is NO simple method to distinguish poisonous
species from edible ones. You should only eat fungi
that are well established edibles that you are absolutely
certain are correctly identified (see comments below).
12
Fungi can contain some very unusual chemicals. The
Deathcap (Amanita phalloides) contains a mixture of
chemicals with a ring-like structure, called Amatoxins,
which make consuming even quite modest amounts of
the mushroom lethal. After a latent period of usually 8-
12 hours, symptoms of poisoning appear and, although
an apparent recovery follows, death several days later is
caused by extensive damage to the liver. Other
Amanitas, especially the Destroying Angel (Amanita
virosa) contain the same poisonous mix.
Some Cortinarius species such as the Deadly Webcap
(Cortinarius speciosissimus or rubellus) are also deadly
poisonous. Here the lethal chemical is Orellanine.
Poisoning is followed by a very long latent period of 2
to 17 days, when the chemical's damage to the kidneys
becomes manifest.
Some Ascomycetes, especially the False Morel
(Gyromitra esculenta) contain the chemical Gyromitrin
which releases methyl hydrazine on cooking or in the
digestive tract. Methyl hydrazine is used as rocket fuel
and is also poisonous in itself. Poisoning follows a
pattern similar to the Deathcap and can cause death in
serious cases. Strangely, this fungus is regarded as a
good edible species in Finland and perhaps the quantity
of toxins, which are rather unstable, can be reduced if
the correct recipe is followed.
Another example of poisoning by a fungus regarded as
edible involves the Brown Rollrim (Paxillus involutus).
This is a traditional Eastern European edible and is
responsible for a number of gastrointestinal poisonings,
many due to eating raw or inadequately cooked
material. However, there is a greater danger with this
fungus. Paxillus syndrome is a reaction in people who
have eaten the Rollrim before but who develop a strong
allergic reaction on repeated consumption, leading to
haemolytic anaemia and sometimes death. So it is
really a case of an allergy rather than poisoning, but
there is clearly something in the Rollrim which can
produce this reaction very strongly.
There are many other examples of toxic fungi and
many more whose effects when eaten are unknown.
There is also a risk of contamination from toxic or
radioactive metals in the soil, since some fungi are
good at concentrating these in the fruit body.
Finally (from me, what else?) to Coprinus syndrome.
The Common Inkcap (Coprinus atramentarius)
contains a chemical Coprine, which destroys an
enzyme in the liver responsible for metabolising
alcohol. This leads to a build up of acetaldehyde in the
blood, producing severe hangover-like symptoms, if
alcohol is drunk when the fungus is eaten or for several
days afterwards. Of course, alcohol itself is a toxin, but
eating the fungus is not recommended as an aid to
abstinence since Coprine has other toxic effects.
So, what to do? The safe advice is generally not to eat
wild fungi. But for those who find that advice too
disheartening (and one could advise similarly against
winter sports, bunji jumping and many other risky
activities), then:
• Stick to a few edible species that are widely eaten and
get to know them extremely well.
• Learn to identify fungi through direct contact with
experienced and competent field mycologists and never
eat anything that you have identified only by using a
book. Seek confirmation from someone more
experienced but do develop your own identification
skills before collecting wild fungi to eat. While you
shouldn't rely entirely on what someone else tells you, a
cautious and not overconfident approach is needed.
• Learn to recognise the toxic species that present a
special danger to the collector.
• Don't eat other fungi just because they are all that
turned up on the day. The label "edible" may mean no
more than "has been eaten by some without causing
obvious signs of poisoning". Even the widely eaten
species can cause surprises - let someone else do the
personal toxicity experiments on the rest.
• Collect carefully and check every fruit body. The
Deadly Webcap has poisoned people collecting
Chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius), which it doesn't
look like at all, but it does occur in the same places.
Perhaps a case of lapse of concentration rather than
misidentification?
• Always cook fungi thoroughly (but be aware that this
will NOT make any difference with the most poisonous
species) and never eat raw fungi.
• Don't eat large quantities of wild fungi - in
moderation and occasionally is better. Keep back some
of what you collect in the fridge in case it needs
checking.
• As with all food collected in the wild, eat only fresh
material in good condition, avoid decomposing fruit
bodies with added danger of bacterial infection, and
don't collect in places like the edges of car parks where
dogs relieve themselves.
• Make sure you have permission to collect to eat -
many landowners are happy to encourage fungal
recording but not gastronomy! And if I still haven't put
you off, - enjoy!
(For further reading, "A Colour Atlas of Poisonous
Fungi" by Andreas Bresinsky and Helmut Besl
provides excellent coverage of this subject.
Penny Cullington, 24 Willow Lane, Amersham, Bucks., HP7 9DW Tel: 01494 721979. Call for e-mail details.
Derek Schafer, Duck End House, Hawleys Lane, Whitchurch, Bucks., HP22 4LB Tel: 01296 640923. Call for e-mail details.
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